World War II Honoree

Richard James Poulsen

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Fresno, California

Honored By

Gary A. Poulsen

Relationship

Cousin

ENLISTED IN THE U.S. ARMY AIR FORCE ON JULY 18, 1942 AT HAMMER FIELD, CALIFORNIA. RECEIVED TRAINING AT SANTA ANA, THUNDERBIRD, MINTER FIELD AND MARFA, TEXAS WHERE HE RECEIVED HIS WINGS ON DECEMBER 2, 1943. TRAINING ON FOUR ENGINE BOMBERS TOOK HIM TO ROSWELL, NEW MEXICO AND SALINA, KANSAS. IN NOVEMBER 1944, HE WAS SENT TO THE WESTERN PACIFIC WHERE HE WAS BASED ON SAIPAN IN THE MARIANA ISLANDS. A FIRST LIEUTENANT OF THE 877TH SQUADRON, HE WAS AWARDED THE AIR MEDAL WITH OAK LEAF CLUSTER AND PURPLE HEART MEDAL. WHILE ON HIS 21ST MISSION OVER OSAKA, JAPAN ON JUNE 1, 1945, A BURST OF FLAK HIT THE NOSE OF THE B-29 OF WHICH HE WAS CO-PILOT. THE PLANE WAS SEEN TO GO DOWN WITH NO PARACHUTES OPENING. OFFICIAL REPORT WAS THEN GIVEN AS MISSING IN ACTION. A YEAR LATER, HE AND HIS CREW WERE LISTED AS KILLED IN ACTION. HIS REMAINS WERE INTERRED AT A CEMETERY ON AWAJI ISLAND, JAPAN. IN 1949 HIS REMAINS WERE TRANSFERRED TO WASHINGTON COLONY CEMETERY, EASTON, CALIFORNIA.